More Gold Coast beaches and skyscrapers

 

Note the lifeguards' ute. The beaches were all closed following a string of drownings caused by the wild seas.

 

Note how some people snuck back in regardless, as soon as the lifeguards looked away.

 

Below: the view from distant Springbrook

Paradise! (Still, sort of)

 

Springbrook and the big bang

 

While in SE Queensland last week for a family visit, we took the opportunity to visit the mountainous Gold Coast hinterland's Springbrook area. There's lots to see and do there, in the way of rainforest and waterfall walks especially. 

Springbrook is on the 'Scenic Rim', and I was quite taken by the views to the south, across the enormous 23 million year old volcanic caldera.

This was the site of one of the planet's biggest explosions. The crater is still there, and is about 40km in diameter, and the amazing Mount Warning is at the centre.

 

 

Here's one of the many waterfalls of the area, Purling Brook Falls.

 

 

 

 

Back in our digs at Surfers Paradise, I realised that I could pretty well see the crater's general form looking out of the window even from there.

Still the best: newly renovated Australian Museum

It's proud to be Australia's oldest museum, and Sydney's Australian Museum claims to be Australia's best museum too. It was closed for a while for modernising renovations, and they seem to have worked out well. I did a repeat exploration recently.

There are hundreds of excellent specialist museums out there. But if you want a good old fashioned all-rounder, you probably won't beat this one.

Among the 100 Treasures collection is this historical Maitland Bar gold nugget.

 

 

There's an exceptional introduction to traditional indigenous culture and the nations, languages, and clan groups of the Sydney region.

 

There are also 100 People Who Shaped Australia

Lots of heroes

 

 

And a few villains too!

 

 

Giant prehistoric wombats and things

A perhaps definitive collection of Australian wildlife

 

 

I wish they'd keep their dinosaurs under better control

 

 

 

 This one had to be brought down violently!

Malabar Headland

The headland between Maroubra and Malabar beaches has in recent years become a national park, and more accessible to the public. Part of it is still a rifle range though, and not always open. It was the other day though, so I was able to stroll at leisure.

Damp but delightful: Lane Cove's bushwalk bonanza!

 

Our unseasonably cool and damp summer weather hasn't destroyed  the bushwalking opportunities around here. Between showers it's actually been quite conducive to a pleasant and scenic outing.

 

Yesterday I was introduced to a nice little 20km circuit walk, starting and finishing in Lane Cove village. It took in Swaines Creek, Stringybark Creek, and both sides of the Lane Cove River.

In fact there are dozens of excellent bush tracks in the area, and I'm still discovering them.

 

 

This summer has been an exceptional one for the New South Wales Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum). There were many fine specimens lining the banks of the river.